Inside the White House with D.C.'s most wired reporter. Sign up for Mike Allen's Axios AM.

Walmart to enlist Lord & Taylor in war against Amazon

Wal-Mart employees walk past a sign in the lobby at the Walmart.com office in California. (Photo: Jeff Chiu / AP)

Walmart is nearing a deal with Lord & Taylor, which would give the department store a dedicated space on Walmart.com, reports the Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed source who says that the move "would be the first step in creating an online mall that shoppers could access from Walmart's website."

Why it matters: Walmart has swiftly grown its online business in recent quarters, and has convinced investors that the firm has the will and the way to take on Amazon in the battle to dominate American e-commerce. Traditional retailers like Lord & Taylor have taken notice, and now see Walmart as a potential distribution partner in a world where customers are eschewing the shopping mall for the online retail experience.